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# 1739 Feeling Like My Papi

When I was a kid I didn't grow up with much outdoor space. That did not keep my Papi, however, from having plants in every corner of the house. We knew to be careful as we played so as to not knock over my father's plants or else we'd be in trouble. Also I always saw my father repotting his plants and using whatever recycled container was free for his little seedlings. I loved the plants but was always so annoyed that there were all these random containers all over the house and longed for a house where all the plants were in lovely containers that all matched and looked pretty. As soon as my father did have access to a garden he was able to move his containers and seedlings outdoors and he has an amazing vegetable garden and orchard in Florida. I am most impressed with his success because most of all he has in his diverse garden he's grown from seed or tiny cuttings and armed without good gardening literature. My father does not read much in English and good gardening books in Spanish are scarce. So he really does have a green thumb.

I never took the time to learn from him as a child. Instead when I took up gardening I do what any good student does- I scoured all the gardening books and websites I could get a hold of. I'm pretty proud of how much I've learned over the years and how much food I've been able to grow for my family.

This week I was doing some replanting of my seedlings started from seed under our grow lights in NYC. As I scoured the house for recycled containers and saw my mess on our deck table. I was reminded of my father. I now have all sort of random containers all about my house and my children are used to seeing and gathering the containers for me. Also they know to not knock over any of mother's seedlings! I guess this apple did not fall far from her tree.

For Father's Day I'd like to thank my Papi for so much. He is such an amazing father in thousands of ways and he loves food and certainly passed that love on to me. His love of gardening, however, was an act that was passed on simply by example. He found a peaceful passion that he nurtured his entire life and I now feel what he felt as I play in the soil and care for my little plants.

On occasion I invite my kids to join me in my repotting efforts but most times I don't. I am hoping that their memories of my gardening will inspire them to grow a little something when they are off on their own. I hope that they will inherit their abuelo's green thumb and if not that they can research things well like their mami.